Butternut Squash Gratin is a delicious and unique variation to your traditional gratin with squash and Gouda. Perfect for a Thanksgiving side dish recipe.
Butternut Squash Gratin
For Day 5 of our Week of Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes, we have a variation of your traditional gratin potatoes. ย This Butternut squash gratin includes 2 types of squash, plus creamy Gouda to make this gratin one of a kind.
What you'll need:
- 1 butternut squash (3 pound)
- 1 spaghetti squash (3 pound)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- ยฝ teaspoon cinnamon
- ยผ teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream or half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups grated Gouda cheese
Directions for Butternut Squash Gratin
1. ย Cut butternut squash and spaghetti squash in half length-wise. ย Remove and discard seeds.
2. Place squash , cut sides up in a lightly greased baking dishย or cookie sheet
. ย Drizzle with butter and ยฝ cup brown sugar. ย Bake 40 minutes atย 450ยฐ.
3. ย Use a fork to scrape the inside of the spaghetti squash to remove strands and place in a large bowl. ย Scoop pulp from butternut squash and coarsely chop. ย Toss with spaghetti squash.
4. ย Stir together cinnamon, nutmeg, and ยฝ cup brown sugar in a separate mixing bowl.
5. ย Thinly slice potatoes. ย I like to use a cheese shaver like this one
to make my potatoes thin and uniform.
6. ย Warm cream in a medium saucepan. ย Warm until steaming but not boiling.
7. ย In a 9"x13" baking dish we'll now layer as follows:
- 1 layer of potatoes
- ยฝ of the squash mixture
- ยฝ of the brown sugar mixture
- 1 cup Gouda
- ยพ cup cream
- 1 layer of potatoes
- 1 cup Gouda
- 1 cup cream
- 1 layer of potatoes
- remaining squash mixture
- remaining sugar mixture
- 1 cup Gouda
- 1 cup cream
- 1 layer potatoes
- 1 cup Gouda
- remaining cream
8. ย Bake covered with foil at 450ยฐ for one hour. ย Remove foil and and bake another 25 minutes, or until golden and potatoes are cooked through. ย It will still be runny when you pull it out of the oven. ย But don't worry! Just let it set for 20 minutes and it will firm up.
Did you like this recipe? Find more on my Falling for Fall ,ย Soups & Sides, and Thanksgiving boards on Pinterest!
Stay tuned the rest of this week for more delicious Thanksgiving side dish recipes!

Butternut Squash Gratin
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ยฝ medium sweet onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ยผ cup fresh sage leaves chopped
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- ยฝ teaspoon black pepper
- ยผ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 to 3 pounds butternut squash peeled, seeded, and sliced into โ -inch disks
- ยผ cup water
- 8 ounces Gruyere cheese freshly grated
Topping
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- ยผ cup grated Parmesan
- ยฝ cup walnuts chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ยฐF.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil.
- Add onion to the skillet and sautรฉ until tender and translucent, about 4 minutes.
- Add garlic, sage, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to the skillet. Continue cooking until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Stir in cream. Set aside.
- Grease a large 9"x13" baking dish.
- Add the water to the bottom of the prepared dish.
- Place โ of the butternut squash in the bottom of the dish. Drizzle โ of the cream mixture on top. Then sprinkle โ of the Gruyere.
- Repeat the layers butternut, cream, cheese twice more.
- In a separate medium mixing bowl, add all of the topping ingredients. Stir with a fork to combine.
- Sprinkle topping on top of butternut squash layers.
- Cover with parchment paper to prevent sticking and then foil so that cover is tight.
- Bake covered for 45 minutes at 375ยฐF.
- Uncover. Turn oven up to 400ยฐF, and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
Notes
- Slicing: mandolin, less pretty slices in bottom layers.
- Sage: sub dried
- Storage
- Freeze?
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Kristina and Millie says
Hmmm I like 'gratin and I like butternut squash so this is going to be a must try for sure. Your recipe for Butternut squash au gratin sounds delish and the end pictures make my mouth water! nom nom nom!
Valerie says
This looks like a great idea for a Thanksgiving side dish! For sure will be pinning this one.
Zenda says
Oh, my!! This looks and sounds delicious! I've raised a few butternuts this summer and will be using them to make this gratin. Thanks for the recipe!
Jacqui Odell says
This sounds amazing! Thank you for linking up to Party Time and we hope to see you again next week!